From March to July, a photo competition was open to our Baptist family. We asked you to show us in a photo what gospel renewal looks like in your local community. It was fantastic to see the many ways people captured something of what God is doing in the ‘every day’ of their local church and neighbourhood. Thank you to all who entered!
Thanks to the sponsorship of Christian Savings, $2000 in prizes were won by those placing first, second and third. Half the prize money goes to the photographer, and the other half goes to a ministry of their choice that is connected to their local church.
Here are the winners and the ministries they chose to support:
Third Place
Bible time with Pop
by Tammy Pfahlert from Oxford Baptist Church (Canterbury)
Prize $400 | Half ($200) goes to Oxford ICONZ and IFG
From the photographer
Photography has been a passion of mine since I was a little kid, and having four beautiful children has been a blessing that has expanded my photo opportunities exponentially! I love being a wife and mother as we homeschool and navigate what the Lord has in store for us each day. Then, as time allows, I can capture those moments with my camera, keeping them as memories to cherish.
There is something about capturing the details of God’s creation in a frame that helps me see the masterpiece he has painted for us every day. Life is full and busy, but I’m thankful for the seasons that come and go; it helps me in the hard times to know this too shall pass, and it also makes me really appreciate and pause in the good times.
About the photo
Our kids absolutely love their Pop (my Dad), and they look up to him in many ways. He invests in their walk with the Lord and helps them to grow in knowledge and understanding of our Father. Storytime is a favourite time for them, especially on a Sunday after church and a big family meal. I couldn’t believe how beautiful the moment was with the sun streaming through the window, and I just had to catch it on my phone. The blessing of having generations passing down the mantle of faith is one that I will never take for granted, and the prayer that has paved the way has set a foundation that won’t be shaken. The gospel is renewed and shared over and over again through each generation.
A ministry that connects with children of the community
Oxford ICONZ & IFG (formally Boys & Girls Brigade) are adventure groups for boys and girls aged between 8-11 years. The group aims to grow boys and girls into young men and women of character. We want to encourage our young people to respect themselves, each other and the people in the community. The program exposes the kids to indoor and outdoor activities (e.g., teaching them how to build things, read maps, survive in the outdoors, etc.), meet local heroes and strong role models to provide experiences and an opportunity to develop their leadership skills. We also have regular devotions from scripture.
These groups are made up predominantly of community kids, and that’s why I have chosen this ministry, as it is a fantastic outreach opportunity. Getting kids connected with the church and exposed to scripture in a fun and safe environment will plant seeds that we pray will sprout throughout their lives. Having connections and positive support can change a kid’s life forever.
They are currently raising money to purchase an indoor wall-mounted basketball hoop, so the funds will go to great use!
Second place
Our men coming together to fellowship and fill each other’s cup
By Lynnavie Tuisaula and the Media Team from Hosanna Lighthouse Baptist Church (South Auckland)
Prize $600 | Half ($300) for Hosanna Lighthouse Baptist Worship Ministry
From the photographers
We are the Media Team for Hosanna Lighthouse Baptist Church! Our names are Olivia, Psalms, Malachi and Lynnavie (left to right).
As photographers, we capture what God has done so far in our small church, and he has amazed us with his overflow of blessings. We are currently in our humble beginnings; as photographers, we try to capture as much as we can.
About the photo
We wanted to capture something different and powerful. The men in our church are quiet, but we found that when they come together, they are strong and mighty together. This photo was taken on a discipleship night for our men. We wanted to show how our men sharpen each other's iron. In this moment, the men in our church were able to experience a raw and powerful bible study fellowship as they discussed and studied the Word of God.
A ministry for engaging in authentic worship
The Ministry we chose was the Worship Ministry. As a small church, we are thankful to God for the many gifts and talents he has blessed our members with. Our Worship Ministry equipment includes a piano, guitar and a single drum. With this blessing, we hope to expand our Worship equipment and grow within our Worship Team members.
First place
Baptism of Daniel
By Martin Rohr from Albany Baptist Church (North Auckland)
Prize: $1000 | Half ($500) for Albany Community Action Trust
From the photographer
I’m 67 years of age, emigrated with my family of six (wife, three daughters and one son) from Switzerland, and arrived in Auckland at the end of 1991. Photography has been a hobby of mine from an early age, initiated and spurred on by my father, who lent me his Yashica reflex camera with a 50mm lens. My main interest is Panorama landscapes. My wife and I have been attending Albany Baptist Church from 1993 onwards, and we have been actively involved ever since.
About the photo
Daniel, the person being baptised, asked to be baptised in public, preferably in the sea, something our church has done many times over the years. Many church members were present, but even more friends of Daniel, friends from TSCF (Tertiary Student Christian Fellowship), Christians and non-Christians. What a celebration it was. I was keen to keep a record of this event.
A ministry that serves the local community to bring gospel renewal
The ministry I would like to support is Albany Community Action Trust, a community-focused trust that Albany Baptist Church runs. It was previously run as a toy library and established in 2002. Two years ago, we re-activated the trust in order to serve our local community better, bringing gospel renewal to Albany. The current activities are:
Coffee group
In 2023, we started our Parent Coffee group. Within weeks, Plunket asked if we would partner with them to meet a need they saw for families in the Albany community. This partnership has brought a great opportunity to contact families directly through contact information they can pass on. We had 12 mums with their children and grandparents attend one week (27 people total). We have had to shift to a larger room.
Parenting Toolbox
Members of Albany Baptist trained to run the Toolbox parenting courses in 2023. We ran our first Preschool Parenting Toolbox course from 30 April–4 June 2024, which we have been able to provide to the community for free with the generous support of The Tindall Foundation. Seven parents completed the course. We are running another Toolbox course starting 20 August. This course will be funded by a local Council grant and the Tindal Foundation again.
Albany Community Action Trust received a grant from the Baptist stream of funding from The Tindall Foundation. Grants of up to $15,000 are available to help churches and trusts support whānau in their communities. Find out if your church could be eligible here.
Badminton
Open to anyone in the community who wants to join us. Run most Sunday afternoons for two and a half hours on four courts in facilities from Kristin School Albany. This provides the opportunity to build connections and offer support through friendships established through badminton. Good for the body, mind and soul!
Information Desk
Helping members of our community find out what’s going on in their community, where to get assistance, or just to connect.
Notary Service
One of our church members (a solicitor) is providing the free service of certifying documents, witnessing signatures, oaths and declaration service once a week.
Community Events
In October 2023, we made 100 “light packs” to give to trick-or-treaters at church members’ homes, seeking to engage with those in our communities with a Christ-focused message.
Over the summer, we run our annual Nativity Sandcastle competition to encourage family fun and visibility of the Nativity story on our beaches.
We ran an Easter Colouring Competition in March 2024, which was available online or in person. We had 20 in-person entries and three online via email. We ran an egg hunt in Kell Park Reserve, where we also played games and invited people to the Easter service.
In December, we hosted a cookie decorating stand and info board at a community event at the Albany Hub.
In March, we joined Harbour Sport again for another community event and ran a sausage sizzle for our Parent Coffee group.
For our Mid-Winter Christmas dinner, we invited families from Toolbox, our badminton club, our coffee group, and the wider community. We had 93 people attending.
This $500 for Albany Community Action Trust means we can do more with and for our local community and put love into action by building resilient families today for a thriving Albany now and into the future.
Thank you, Christian Savings, for sponsoring the Baptist NZ photo competition 2024.
Christian Savings is proud to get behind an initiative that is bringing the gospel to our local communities. We are New Zealand’s only Christian charitable deposit-taker. For over 60 years, we have existed solely to help churches and Christian charities make the most of their assets for the Kingdom of God, and to give everyday New Zealanders the opportunity to grow their investments while also building the Kingdom of God in Aotearoa. For more information please visit our website christiansavings.co.nz.
